Finite element study of cyclic plasticity near a subsurface inclusion under rolling contact and macro-residual stresses

This work investigates plastic deformation around non-metallic inclusions in rolling contact fatigue applications. Subsurface stresses from Hertzian theory are applied in form of far-field loading on an elasto-plastic micro-mechanical model of an isolated inclusion. Initial and cyclic micro-scale plasticity are quantified, assuming linear kinematic hardening for the steel matrix and elastic or elastic perfectly plastic behavior for the inclusion. The accumulated plastic strain and cyclic plasticity are evaluated in the matrix. The effect of the yield strength on the elasto-plastic behavior of the matrix around the inclusions is investigated along with the effect of superimposed macro-residual stresses.